Finally a Christmas finish - well almost......

After working on what seems like dozens of different projects but not getting anywhere near completion on any of them I've finally come to the end of the first of them.

Well I'm telling a little white lie - I'm halfway through stitching down the binding on the Secret Santa present for my work colleague.

A few people have asked me if it's a purchased pattern or if I've made it up myself.

Well I confess it's entirely my own design. If anyone would like a copy of the pattern I'll happily post them a photocopy in exchange for say a yard of nice fabric of your choice - any takers?

Drop me an email if you're interested. I'm also thinking of working a set of four similar designs but based on the four seasons so watch this space on that, but not until after Christmas.

To complete this particular one I'd convinced myself that I should do a plain border but then Dawn suggested a thin inner border and then broken dishes around so that's what I decided to run with - it finishes up at around 16" square.

The red inner border is slightly wider than I would have liked but I had to do it this depth to get the maths to work out.

I'm delighted with it! (and hope she will be too)

As for home matters the weather here is wet and windy - foul enough for Nick's football to be cancelled which means the lucky boy and his younger sister get to accompany Daddy and I to Sarah's County rugby fixture in neighbouring Devon - rugby players are far less wimpy and cancel fixtures only for earthquakes and tsunamis!!! - which you don't get many of here in the South West of England :o)

I guess it's going to be a very soggy afternoon!